


in threes

by helsinkibaby



Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Community: 1-million-words, F/M, Het, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-29
Updated: 2020-05-29
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:15:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,089
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24446437
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/helsinkibaby/pseuds/helsinkibaby
Summary: This is the third time Noelani has been taken hostage in a year.
Relationships: Noelani Cunha/Steve McGarrett
Comments: 2
Kudos: 25
Collections: 1 Million Words' BINGO





	in threes

**Author's Note:**

> For one million words bingo, prompt, choose love 
> 
> A rewrite of 10.22 “Aloha”

"Hey, man, how're you doing there?"

Steve lifted his chin from his joined hands, turned his head to look at Danny, who had just come to sit beside him on the hard pew. The other man was strangely calm and quiet, waiting for him to reply and Steve's gut twisted uncomfortably. Calm and quiet wasn't usually in Danny's wheelhouse, especially after a day like today. Had something happened, was he in here to deliver bad news? Steve opened his mouth but the words wouldn't come out and maybe Danny recognised what he was thinking because he held up a hand. "It's okay, there's no news, Noelani's still in surgery." Steve let out a shaky breath he hadn't even realised he was holding. "Everyone's still out there, they'll come get us if they hear anything."

"So what, you're in here making sure I'm..."

"Not heading off on some crazy, kamikaze revenge mission, yes I am." 

Steve had to give him that; after all, it wouldn't be the first time one of the team had gone rogue when a case got personal. The fact that it was oftentimes Steve himself doing that, that he'd already done a solo run earlier that day, was neither here nor there. "I'm not going anywhere, man," he said and he meant it too. He was going to stay right here, in this hospital, until Noelani woke up and smiled at him. "I just ... I needed some space, that's all." Because he'd been surrounded by his team, his ohana, and he'd been acutely aware that every eye was on him, in concern yes, but on him nonetheless. He'd felt suffocated, claustrophobic almost, and he silently - of course silently - apologised to Danny for every time that he'd brushed off the other man's complaints about confined spaces. The chapel, its quiet and calm, had been a welcome respite. 

"I get that. I get that." Danny stared straight ahead for a moment, his eyes fixed on the crucifix above the altar. "She's gonna be okay, you know." 

Except Steve didn't know that, and Danny couldn't either. He hadn't been in that warehouse, in that car, Noelani's body draped across his, her ragged breathing loud in his ears, in some sort of bastardised perversion of how they’d begun the day. "Daiyu Mei had her shot, Danny," he said. "And she did it deliberately so that she wouldn't bleed out straight away... she made sure she'd still be alive when I got to her... she wanted Noelani to die in my arms, she wanted me to watch it happen." The fact that it hadn't was more down to luck and Tani’s lead foot than anything else. "This is all my fault."

Danny frowned. "No, it's Daiyu Mei's fault because she's a psychotic bitch who can't be trusted." His eyes widened as he remembered where he was and he looked back towards the altar as he made the Sign of the Cross. "Great, now I'm swearing in a chapel; that's gotta be what, six months in Confession?" 

Danny might be worried about his immortal soul; Steve was far more concerned about Noelani’s very mortal body. "Daiyu Mei took Noelani because of me. Because she wanted that cipher. Because she knew that Noelani..."

Steve's throat closed up and Danny took over. "Is the person you care most about in the world." He nodded slowly. "Yeah, we got that."

"She knew... given a choice between the cipher and Noelani... she knew that I would choose her. I'd choose love. She knew that and she still shot her. Because I killed her husband and she wanted revenge."

"Because she's a cold blooded psychopath and you can't reason with them." Danny left out the swear word that time but he must have been thinking it because he blessed himself again anyway. "Look, did she get the cipher, yes she did. But she's still gonna have to translate it, which gives us time. And we got Noelani back, and she is strong and she is tough and she's gonna make it." He paused and Steve finally looked across at him. "Ask me how I know."

Steve rubbed a hand over his face. "How do you know?"

"Because Noelani works with us. She saw what you do, up close and personal for three years before you guys were ever a thing and she knew all about your hero complex and your complete disregard for any kind of safety regulations and yet she still had the reckless optimism to say yes when you asked her out. Any woman who puts herself through that... a bullet means nothing to her." 

It was the most backhanded reassurance that Steve had ever heard but, strangely enough, it made him feel better. Before he could say anything though, he and Danny both turned quickly when they heard the chapel door opening. 

"Steve." 

It was Adam and Steve felt his heart start to pound as he raised himself to his feet. "Is she-?"

Adam didn't let him finish. "She's out of surgery," he said. "And she's going to be okay." 

Even though he hugged Danny in sheer relief, Steve still couldn't quite bring himself to believe that. It only got a little easier as he sat by Noelani's bedside, her hand wrapped in both of his, watching her chest rise and fall with every breath she took. He didn't know how long he'd been sitting there, just watching her, when her breath hitched and for a second, cold fear reached into his chest and squeezed his heart. Then her fingers tightened on his and her eyelids began to flutter and, as he leaned in, she opened her eyes and looked right at him. 

"Steve?" Her voice was slow, groggy, and yet, it was the best thing he'd heard in days. Possibly forever. 

"Yeah, Noelani, it's me." Not losing his grip on her hands, he stood up, moving so that he was sitting on the edge of her bed, careful not to jostle her, not to disturb any wires. "You're okay... you're gonna be okay."

She frowned, narrowing her eyes like she was trying to figure out where she was, or when. "Daiyu Mei... the cipher..." she finally whispered and he shook his head, shushing her. 

"Don't worry about that." His fingers brushed over her cheek, pushing a lock of hair back behind her ear. "She's not important right now. You're safe, that's all that matters." 

Noelani closed her eyes, leaning into his touch. "You came for me."

Her voice was barely audible but that wasn't why he leaned over, brushed his lips across her forehead. "Always." 

He left his forehead against hers for a long moment and when he straightened up, he looked around. "I should go get a doctor-" The sudden flash of fear on her face, the way that she tightened her grip on his hand stopped him in his tracks. "OK, I'm staying right here. I'm not going anywhere, I promise." 

She closed her eyes then and a tear leaked out between her closed lids. He wiped it away with one fingertip, as gently as possible in case even that hurt her. He let his touch linger on her cheek, saw her lips move, but no sound came out. "What's that, sweetheart?" The endearment slipped out without him even thinking about it. "I didn't catch it."

"I said..." Noelani's tongue swiped across dry lips. "I'm done."

The world seemed to stop in its tracks before lurching painfully back into motion. "You're done?" Steve's own mouth went dry. "What..."

"This is the third time I've been held hostage in a year," she told him and there was something familiar about her eyes, some of the usual shine back there. "They say things come in threes... so I'm done, right?" 

He wasn't sure whether it was relief or amusement that made him laugh. It was definitely relief that made him feel almost light headed, because for Noelani to be awake was one thing, to be talking something else. But to be able to tease him? That was the moment he knew for sure that she was going to be all right. "Yes," he said, leaning over and bringing his lips to hers. "You are done." He kept the kiss light, brief, preferring for once to see her smile rather than feel it against his lips. “I’m not letting you out of my sight once you’re out of here.” 

Too late he realised that could sound creepy rather than romantic but thankfully she appeared to take it the latter way. “That sounds nice.” Her eyes closed again, her fingers twitching in his, a sure sign she was about to fall asleep again. She fought it though, opening her eyes as an adorable pout formed on her face. 

“It’s okay,” he whispered, pushing her hair back again, even though it didn’t really need it. “Go to sleep if you need to... I’ll be right here when you wake up.” 

“Don’t want to,” she mumbled, her eyelids flickering as she fought to keep them open and he fought to keep back a smile. 

“When you get out of here,” he told her, keeping his voice low and his hand moving over her hair, “we should go somewhere, just you and me. Somewhere quiet... we can lie on the beach all day... wear very little...” They both smiled at that. “I’ll cook for you...”

“Could be dangerous if you’re not wearing clothes...” Teasing and sleepy; a combination she swore she’d honed in med school, a combination that always made him a little weak in the knees. 

“It’s okay, my girl’s a doctor. She’ll kiss me better.” 

“Knowing you, that could be a full time job.” A new voice startled them both; Steve hadn’t heard the door being pushed open. Looking over his shoulder, he saw Danny raising his hand in greeting. His voice was quiet as he said, “Hey, Noelani... good to see you.” He pointed at Steve. “I just need to borrow your boyfriend real quick, okay?” 

Steve squeezed her fingers. “I’ll be right over there... I won’t leave the room,” he promised and he didn’t either, just moved over to Danny, both of them standing with their backs to her. He wouldn’t put it past her to be able to read lips. 

“We got a lead...” Danny murmured, voice so quiet that Steve could barely hear him. His lips barely moved either; maybe he was worried about Noelani’s lip reading abilities too. “Lincoln managed to get through to someone who could help with the cipher... we got a location. This mean anything to you?"

Danny held out his cell phone and the moment that he saw the location, recognition lanced through him like an electric shock. "I know this place," he said. "My dad used to take me there all the time... it's where we thought my mom was buried."

"All right." Danny nodded, his face serious, his eyes glancing quickly over Steve's shoulder. "You want to come with, or-?"

For a second, Steve considered it. But only for a second. 

“I’m gonna stand down on this one,” he said, and Danny’s surprise was writ large on his face. It disappeared quickly though, replaced by something that looked almost like pride. “I got someplace else I need to be.” 

“I was kinda hoping you’d say that.” Danny clapped him on the shoulder. “I’ll let you know when we get her.” Another wave to Noelani and he was gone, leaving Steve and a suddenly wide awake Noelani. 

“What did he want?” 

“They have a lead on Daiyu Mei... he was asking me if I wanted to take point.” She frowned, not understanding and he shrugged as he very carefully climbed onto the bed beside her, his back against her pillows, his legs stretched out in front of him. It wasn’t easy but he managed to take her in his arms, her head falling against her shoulder and he felt, actually literally felt, the tension and fear leave her body as it was pressed against his. “I promised I wouldn’t leave you...” he whispered into her hair. “I meant it.” 

She sucked in a shuddering breath and he tightened his grip on her as he felt the first drop of wetness hit his shirt. “I love you, Noelani,” he whispered and she brought her hand up to make a fist in his shirt, her tears coming faster. “It’s okay... I’ve got you... it’s okay...”

She cried until she fell asleep again. 

He held her the whole time.


End file.
